Just believe
by pekebooklover
Summary: A normal girl somehow finds herself in the middle of something she thought were just fantasies. What will she do when only she can see the strange bare foot boy with the staff? Is she going crazy for hearing a deep sweet voice that seems to come from the moon? And what is the shadow that plauge her since her arrival at Burgess?
1. Brief introduction

Brief introduction

_Believe is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so._

People would think that one stops believing in things like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy once they reach a certain age. In my case they are right but, that doesn't mean that I encourage little kids to stop believing like other teenagers do. No, I spend my time strengthening their faith, I tell them different stories about all of these mythical figures, because seeing their eyes shine with delight it's the best feeling ever.

But oh my, sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Lana Pérez, as you can guess I'm Spanish, I'm just a normal 17 year old that loves spending time with kids, my looks are pretty normal, not too thin and not too fat, elbow length dark brown hair and dark green eyes, as I told you pretty normal, I'm just a plain Jane.

My life is pretty normal too, I have loving but strict parents and an overprotective older brother, my school life is average I have a group of friends, my grades are high but not the highest, the only remarkable thing is that I'm part of the school council, it was only a dare but when I signed up myself for the position I didn't expect to have so many votes. Anyway, my simple average normal life took a complete change the day the principal called me to her office.


	2. Believe in changes

Chapter 1. Believe in changes

My day stared as any other, smashing my alarm clock to stop the annoying beeping. The morning progressed just the same as always, have breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, walk to school with Marc, Ana and Esther, going trough lessons just barley avoiding hitting my head on the table, but when finally it was time to go one of the teachers stopps me and tells me that the principal wants to see me. That is never a good thing, it's either some school council matter (normally they want to use the money for something stupid like a new coffee maker for the teacher's room) or a student has made something bad and I have to deal with it.

When I enter her office she greets me with a big smile "Hello Lana dear, come in come in, have a seat" her smile creeps me out, she normally has a expression of disgust attached to her face, like she smells something horrible all the time "I have such good news for you! A couple hours ago I received the confirmation for an exchange student plan" I sigh "And I'll have to find the perfect student to go, right?" she shakes her head with another smile "No Lana I already found the perfect student. I already spoke with your parents ad they are very excited about this. Here is your plane ticket and the address of the high school you'll be attending. I also spoke with the family that's going to take you in. As they have two young kids and knowing how much you love children I immediately thought of you" I just stare at her dumbfounded, I'm not prepared for such a big change like that and I didn't even have a say in it. I just take the ticket out of her hand saying a small okay and leave the office and then the school, my mind still hasn't absorbed what just happened. My friends seeing my far away look ask me what happened and once I tell them the same look appears in their eyes.

Once I arrive home my parents greet me with smiles and congratulation, but when I look at my brother I know that he is thinking the same as me 'How did this happen?' my father seeing that I'm not really excited about it puts a hand on my shoulder and with that fatherly tone he has says "Don't worry sweetheart, you still have two weeks to get into this. We also spoke with the family and they understand that this is a big shock for you and they said that if you want you can Skype any time you want" my mother on the other hand is already packing my things ranting about how good this will be for my future and that I better pack all my warm clothes because I won't be in the Mediterranean anymore.

The ones that took the news worst were my little cousins and the neighbour kids that I babysit, I always call them my kids, there was a lot of crying and my shirt got covered on snot. They said that they were afraid that with me not telling them stories about Santa, Sandman, Father winter and such, that the bogeyman would come and take them away, and as always I told them that believing in something gives it power, but believing and fearing are different things. If they believe the bogeyman is real but they don't fear him, he won't be able to do anything to them.

I also spoke with the family that will have me, the Bennett's. They are so nice, I love the kids the oldest, Jaime, believes in all magical beings, he reminds me of myself when I was his age, and little Sophie is just the most adorable girl I've ever seen with her hair all over the place and her big brown eyes.

Finally I'm here, the airport. My friends and family are all here, most of them crying and I would be lying if I said that my eyes weren't watering. This is a big change and I'm still unsure about it, I don't know what to expect, I don't know what my life will be, but it's time to face the truth and as I always say to my kids, believe is a powerful weapon, so right now more than ever I need to believe. Believe that leaving my life behind is only a step forward, that I only can get good things out of this. I have to believe in changes.


	3. Believe in insanity

Chapter 2: Believe in insanity

Finally after 8 long hours on a plane I arrived in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. I get my luggage and go to the entrance of the airport, I crane my neck to see if I can spot Ms. Bennett but what I find is a big banner held by a group of kids around 10 years old that read 'Welcome Lana!' every letter was a different colour and there was a drawing of Spain and even the Spanish flag, but it was hard to see as it seems like someone draw over it something that looks like eggs.

I approach the small group and a kid with short brown hair and brown eyes smiles at me and starts speaking really fast "Lana! I'm so excited that you are finally here! Look my friends and I made this banner for you! Sorry that you can't really see it very well but Sophie is so excited about Easter that she wanted to put Easter eggs on it" he rolled his eyes at the last part "Easter eggs? Oh right here you have, what was it called? Oh yeah the Easter bunny right?" all the kids then look at me like I just grown a second head and they all exclaimed "What do you mean?" "Okay guys leave your questions for another moment, I'm sure Lana right now just wants to rest after such a long trip, right dear?" It wasn't until that moment that I spotted Ms. Bennett, it seems that she was behind the huge banner.

After finally convincing Jamie's friends that I would explain everything to them the next morning we headed to the Bennett's home, I guess I should get used to call it my home now. During the ride Jamie never stopped asking question about what kind of mythical beings we have in Spain, but he didn't let me even open my mouth when he would shoot another question at me. Meanwhile Sophie was sitting on my lap looking at me with her big doe eyes and gesturing to the fairy wings in her back all the while saying 'Pretty fairy, pretty fairy' and pointing at her and then at me.

That night in Jamie's room I told him and Sophie the story about the three wise men, or as we call them in Spain los reyes magos (the wizard kings), obviously that just got more questions from Jamie "But does that mean that Santa doesn't go to Spain?" at that Sophie lets out a gasp and hugs me saying something along the lines of 'No gifts, no Christmas' I laugh and patting Sophie's back reply softly "Santa does come to Spain, we just have extra gifts from the three wise men" Jamie and Sophie's eyes sparkle "That's so cool!" I just laugh again "I know right?" after some time both of them fall asleep, I carry Sophie to her room, tuck her in and kiss her forehead "Let the Sandman bring you sweet dreams"

Once in my room, I finish unpacking, put on my pyjamas and seat on the windowsill with one of my favourite books, _Magical beings and their stories_, while I'm around the middle of the book I hear a strange noise, but when I look up I don't see anything strange so I go back to my book "Child you have a real gift" I gasp and drop my book to the floor, what was that? no one is here so where did that voice come from "Don't worry child I'm no foe to you" okay this is staring to creep me out, I look around my room again but I can't see anything out of the ordinary "Up here child" then I look out the window and that's when I see it, the moon, I've never seen it so big and bright before "Great things are ahead of you child, but don't fear you won't be alone" I just look at the moon with my eyes open wide and my mouth hanging, is really the moon talking to me? jet lag must have affected me more than I thought. I just shake my head, pick up my book and go to bed, tomorrow will be another day.

The next morning I wake up to Jamie and Sophie jumping in my bed "Wake up sleepyhead! Breakfast is ready!" "Breakfast, breakfast!" I grunt and turn around knocking both kids out of my bed, they groan and I laugh at them "That's what you get for waking me up shrimps" the siblings then exchange a glance and both jump at me at the same time, then a full on tickle war starts and it ends with the three of us panting and with big smiles on our faces.

When we finally have breakfast, Jamie tells me that we will meet with his friends in the town square, next to founders statue, so I can tell them about yesterday's revelation, so we hurriedly get dressed and head out the door. On the way I see that everything is snowed and I stop to look at it with delight "What's wrong Lana? Never seen snow?" Jamie says with a teasing smile "Well, obviously I've seen snow but never so much. Back home never snows, so this is pretty new to me" Jamie looks at me as if I told him that I'm the bogeyman "That can't be true! It's settled tomorrow we'll have the perfect snow day, we'll have snowball fights, we'll build snowmen, we'll take a ride on the slide and we'll go ice skating" while he was going on about what would we do tomorrow, we arrived to the statue to see all his friends there waiting for us.

"Okay Lana, explain yourself" now I have a group of kids looking at me expectantly, I let out a nervous laugh "Well, it's just that in Spain there is no such thing as the Easter bunny" at that declaration the kids gasp "What?" "No such thing as the Easter bunny, now that's hilarious" after hearing that I look around us as none of the kids said that and it definitely wasn't a kids voice, but I don't see anyone near us that seems to be listening into our conversation, I shake my head and turn to the children "Well, the thing is that as the Easter bunny is so busy hiding eggs all around the world, that in Spain it was decided that to spare him some work the godparents would give the children the chocolate" Buff, nice save, I don't want them to think that the Easter bunny isn't real, they are still young and they need to believe in all that.

After a while of the kids explaining to me what exactly they do during Easter it was finally time to go home, so we all said our goodbyes and a promise to meet the next day for a fun day in the snow. During our way home Jamie was still shocked about me never having played with snow "But Lana it's really shocking to hear that someone never played with snow" "Jamie, it doesn't snow everywhere, you know? There are places where it never snows, Barcelona just happens to be one of that places" with a shrug I finally convince Jamie to drop the subject "We'll have to remedy that" I snapped my head up, it's same voice as before "You okay Lana?" Jamie looks at me concerned, as I look around I spot a boy around my age, he's wearing a blue hoodie and brown pants, he has white hair from what I can see through the hood, in his hands he has some kind of staff and to my horror I see that he's barefoot, but when I blink he isn't there anymore "Lana?" I snap out of my daze and look at Jamie "I'm fine, don't worry"

First the moon talks to me and now I see some kind of ghost? This is something more than jet lag. I believe I'm insane.


	4. Believe in fear

Chapter 3: Believe in fear

During dinner Jamie explains excitedly to his mother and Sophie what would we do tomorrow. Sophie looks the most excited, and when I ask Ms. Bennett she tells me that Mr. Bennett, with his new job, doesn't have that much time for the kids anymore, so he hasn't shown Sophie how to ice skate yet. I turn to the little girl "Don't worry Sophie, I'll teach you to ice skate" "I thought you said that it never snowed where you come from" Jamie says looking at me with a frown "How can you know how to ice skate if lakes and ponds don't freeze?" I laugh "Jamie that's not the only place you can ice skate you know? We happen to have a couple ice rinks back home that open all year long and another one that's outdoors during winter" He still doesn't look that much convinced "An outdoors ice rink? Is it cold enough? Doesn't it melt?" "That the temperature isn't below zero doesn't mean it's not cold dear" Ms. Bennett says trying to stop what was becoming another of Jamie's question rants.

Bed time arrives and I tell Ms. Bennett that I'll put the kids to bed, Jamie and Sophie scream with delight expecting another story of mythical Spanish beings. Once in Jamie's room it's decided that tonight's topic will be the Tooth Fairy. Jaime starts by explaining what the Tooth Fairy is, what she does and telling me all the times he tried to catch her when one of his teeth fell. "Well in Spain is a little different" at this Jamie looks at me flabbergasted "Don't tell me that it's like the Easter Bunny?" at the mention of the bunny Sophie starts jumping in my lap "Easter Bunny, Easter Bunny! Hop, hop hop!" I try to calm her down while laughing softly "No Jamie, it's not like that. There are too many children on the world for the Tooth Fairy alone so she has little helpers all over the world. In Spain operates one of them, Mousy Pérez, he sneaks into your room when you are asleep and leaves something in exchange of your tooth, it doesn't have to be money. For example, he always left me a different book" "A book? Why?" "Because that's what I wanted. Remember the book I'm always reading?" Jamie nods his head "Yeah, the one about magical beings" "That's the one. That book is very special to me, it was the first gift I got from Pérez. It's my personal treasure" Jamie smiles at me "That's really nice, that after so much time you still kept it" Then his eyes widen and turns to me with a new sparkle in his eyes " Wait! Pérez is also your last name Lana!" I can't help but start laughing at what he was hinting "You are right Jamie! But believe me we are not related. When I was your age my father helped me look into my family tree to see if we could find him, but not such luck. I was so disappointed when we couldn't find any Mousy Pérez" Jamie looked crestfallen "That's such a pity! It would've been cool. Imagine that, you would have access to the Tooth Fairy herself!"

After ten more minutes of discussing the coolness of being related to a mythical being, both kids finally fell asleep. Once in my room I took my book out of the shelf and caressed the cover delicately with a soft smile on my face, it brings me so many good memories. Then out of nowhere I feel a cold gust of wind hit my face and it takes the book from my hands making it land on the floor. I turn to the window to see it open, and that's strange because I always leave it closed. I take a look outside but nothing is there just the faint lights of the street and the rustle of the trees in the wind. I close the window, pick up my book, put it on its place and get ready for bed.

Unbeknownst to me, the shadow of the tree outside my window transforms into that of a man and acquires a body of its own "You little girl, have caused me too much trouble" a pair of golden eyes glare at my sleeping form "Always convincing little kids not to fear me" he lifts a greyish hand and strokes my hair softly "But not anymore. No, no, no, not anymore. Once I'm done with you, you will be announcing to the world that they have to fear me" at that moment an abnormally bright ray of moonlight creeps through the window right at the strange man's face "Ah, old friend! I see you also took notice of the girl. This time I'm ahead of you" and from his hand black sand appears slowly forming what looks like a horse from hell. "Yes, this time victory will be mine" and letting the horse go he disappears with a wicked smile on his face seeing the frown on my face.

The next morning I wake up with a start, covered in sweat and breathing hard. What a horrible night, plagued with nightmares, memories I had buried in the back of my mind coming out again. I can hear Jamie and Sophie getting ready for what now they refer as 'Snow day mission'. I decide to get ready too staring with a shower, because frankly I don't think sweat is my fragrance. During the shower I ponder over last night, it's been what 7 or 8 years since I stopped being afraid? I admit that like everyone I'm afraid of a lot of things, but when I was a kid I was terrified of the dark and so embarrassed about it that I didn't tell anyone, not even my parents. If it were not for my brother that one night found me curling in a corner of my room, I wouldn't have overcome it. My dreams, more like nightmares, last night were all the same, me alone surrounded by darkness, I could feel someone else there with me, I couldn't see them but I could hear their laughter, cruel and taunting. A shiver runs down my spine every time I remember it.

The day Jamie, Sophie and Jamie's friends prepared for me was the perfect snow day, we had a snowball fight, that somehow ended with all the kids ganging up on me because they said I kept hitting them even thought my aim at its best is the worst, we build snowmen of different shapes and sizes, we went down a hill with the sleds multiple times and I even had time to teach Sophie ice skating.

Time passed quickly, every day I would take the kids to school and pick them up on my way home from high school, the afternoons were spend playing with Jamie's friends and having fairy themed tea parties with Sophie, but what we enjoyed most was bed time, when I would tell them all kind of fairy tales from all around the world. But not everything was fun and games, oh no, the nightmares came from time to time, the same darkness, the same presence and the same laugh. Some times during the day the lights would flicker on and off and the laugh in my dreams would sound when I'm wide awake.

For the first time in a long, long time I believe I'm truly and deeply afraid.


End file.
